Webb Chapter One

Webb, Chapter One
A Course in Contemporary World Literature.

Webb explains at the beginning of Chapter One that his student’s got really in Elie Wiesel’s, Night. I think that the questions that they were asking and their enthusiasm to embrace the text seem farfetched. I am curious how Webb was able to get his student’s actually into the text what sort of activities he did in order to keep them enthralled. I really like the idea of writing letters to Mr. Wiesel with questions and comments.
What is really great is how through the teaching of this text, the student’s were able to understand history as well. Webb state, “the Holocaust began to seem less like an abstracted evil and more like a real event in history- it began to seem, in other words, not so distant from the present day (2-3). This is really important. The Holocaust really interests a lot of students and to allow them to fulfill their curiosity through literature and their own research is inspirational. I like how Webb goes a step further for his student’s by actually inviting a survivor to his class.
I really enjoy Webb’s whimsical passion teaching Contemporary World Literature and that it “showed me ways that my teaching could center on sensitizing students to the experiences of others, help them communicate from heart and mind together, and connect them to pressing social issues” (5). Let’s just say Webb encompasses my teaching philosophy and has caught my attention.
This whole chapter is totally insightful. I feel that the student’s reaction to texts and using a reader-response method that also incorporates an understanding of history and self is where it’s at. I do understand that cultural studeies can be controversal, but it's about time we are progessive with our teaching.